Wine: Uncorked

Vino in the Village

Store owner travels the world to offer stellar wine selection

Brittany Kress

Capital Style

Q & A

This being German Village, do you keep a lot of German wine in stock?
We do, actually. There are two German restaurants near here, so tourists especially will eat there and then maybe come over for a bottle of German wine to take home. And riesling is a world-class grape. If you can get people to drink riesling, they're all about it. A lot of times people think, "Oh, I don't drink sweet wine." But riesling is something they definitely need to experiment with.

What do you like to drink?
I'm a huge Champagne and sparkling wine fan. Some of my very favorites are the bubblies. And also pinot noir.

Would you talk about your other retail venture?
Faze is in Upper Arlington. I've had that store 23 years. It's an upscale, eclectic lady's boutique. I split my time between Hausfrau and Faze. And in my spare time, I enjoy traveling, reading. I bicycle a lot in the summertime. I entertain a lot; I have a lot of friends at my house in the summer. I have a pool, so it's a nice place to hang. I manage to fit my fun in.

Hausfrau Haven

769 S. Third St.,

German Village

614-443-3680

www.HausfrauHaven.biz

Fayes Suggestions

Domaine Serene Winery Hill Vineyard pinot noir (2006)
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasting notes: Layers of flavors begin with dark berry fruits and evolve to mushrooms and wet soil, in the typical Burgundian style
Pair with: A mushroom-based dish; salmon or lamb; hard-cured cheeses
Why Faye likes it: "This is one of the stars of Oregon. It's absolutely beautiful, with a finish that goes on and on. They make two others that are more expensive, but I absolutely love this one. It's more of a celebratory-level wine, but it's worth every penny."
Cost: $85



Pierre Gimonnet & Fils brut Champagne
Region: Champagne, France
Tasting notes:Full-bodied and yeasty, with pear,apple and toasty flavors
Pair with: Any appetizers or cheeses; chicken, fish or light meat dishes
Why Faye likes it: "It's a cru wine, which means it's a reserve. Almost every house makes what is called a non-vintage style, which is the house style. You know that if you have a bottle today or a bottle five years from now, it's going to have a similar profile. In the vintage-year wines, the wines can differ dramatically."
Cost:$60
Faye Muncie was in her twenties the night she fell in love. With wine. "I had a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape for a dinner," she said. "I just decided I wanted to buy an expensive bottle, and that sounded sophisticated. I bought that wine, and it was all over from there."

Now 53, Muncie co-owns Hausfrau Haven. Once a general store with gifts and some wine, the German Village shop has been transformed into a specialty wine store that carries vino from all over the world, in addition to beer, cards and gifts. Since taking the reins there nearly 15 years ago, Muncie learned more about wine the way she suggests anyone should: "Read, read, read and taste, taste, taste."

She also takes annual trips to various wineries, with plans to visit Champagne, Barcelona and the Catalonia wine country this year.


E-mail this story

Comments